Street-sweeper.



No. 698,949. Patented Apr.,29, |902.

' W. HIGHT.

STREET SWEEPEB. (Application flied-Dec. 14, 1901..) (No Model.)

09V mmmnuum 2.9i". fY l y E; .l L., 0 I.

UNITED STATES ATnNT FFICE.

VILLIAM HIGHT, OF MACON, ILLINOIS.

- STREET-SWEEPER* SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 698,949, dated April 29,1902.

Application tiled December 14, 1901. Serial No. 85,945. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, if 72u01/ concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements in Street-Sweepers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invent-ion relates to new and useful improvements in street-sweepers, and especially in the provision of means, comprising a rotary-brush sweeper, for brushing the dirt away from the curb, so that the dirt may be taken up and elevated to a wagon or other receptacle.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully v described and then specifically defined in the appended claims, and is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings- Figure l is a top plan view of my improved sweeper. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sweeper,vparts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of bevel gear-wheels and connections. Fig. 4 shows the top plan of the plate for holding the brush-arms. Fig. 5 shows a similar view of the plate located above the brush-arms. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cam member which causes the brusharms to be raised from the pavement at each rotation. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing in section the splining of the sprocket-wheel on the hollow shaft. Fig. Sis a detail View illustrating one of the pivotal ends of the brushcarrying arms;

eference now being had tothe details of the drawings by letter, A designates the truck sired to cause said beveled wheel to rotate with the clutch and the axle. Mounted in a yoke G on the truck is a stub-shaft, to which a beveled gear-wheel H is keyed, which is in mesh with the beveled gear D. A sprocketwheel K is also mounted on said stub-shaft and rotates therewith.

L designates a swinging beam, which is pivoted at L' on the plates M, and at its forward end is carried a hollow vertical shaft N, to the upperend of which is splined asprocket O, which has sprocket-chain connection O with the sprocket-wheel K, whereby the said hollow shaft may be rotated. Mounted on a shaft Q, which is located within the hollow shaft, at its lower end, is a cam-wheel P, and secured to the lower end of the hollow shaft at a position adjacent to said cam-wheel is a plate R, a detail of which is shown clearly in Fig. a of the drawings, which plate has av series of recesses R to receive the arms R of the brushes, there being eight of these brush-arms shown in the drawings. Each brush-arm R has laterally-projectinglugs R2,

which engage recesses in said plate R, these projections R2 serving as pivotal bearings, allowing the arm to have a vertical swinging movement. A centrally-apertured plate or disk J, Figs. 2 and 5, rests upon the plate R and is provided with a series of recesses J', through which the arms R' have a vertical play. Projecting below the under surface of each arm adjacent to its pivotal point is an integral pin R3, which is disposed adjacent to the circumference of the cam and adapted to strike against the latter as the shaft carrying the brushes rotates. To the upper end of the solid shaft Q is pivoted a lever R4, which is fulcrumed on a standard R5, supported on the beam L and havinga counterbalanced weight R secured to its free end. By means of this counterbalanced weight it will be observed that the h ollow shaft has a slight vertical play to regulate the brush to uneven surfaces in the pavement.

In order to guide the rotary brush and hold the same at a suitable distance from the curb, I provide a guide-wheel T, which is journaled on the end of the beam T', which is connected to a link T2, which in turn is pivoted to a stationary part of the truck of the frame, as at T3. Said link T2 is connected to the swing ICO ing beam L by means of link T4. It will be noted that by the provision of said guidewheel when the latter comes in. contact with the curb the shaft-carrying guide-wheel will be forced from the curb and cause the swinging beam carrying the rotary brush to move therewith, and by means of the coil-spring W, which is fastened at one end to the truck and its other end to the swinging frame, the brush and the guide-wheel will be normally retained in the same relative positions.

The forward portion of the truck of the machine is supported by a caster-wheel V, and

.to the opposite side of the frame are attached thills.

In operation power is conveyed from the driving wheels through the geared and sprocket wheel connections to the chain and hollow shaft 4carrying the brush-arms, caus-l ing the same to rotate about the stationary cam-wheel. As each brush comes in contact with the projecting portion of the cam it will be observed that the brush-arm will be raised from the pavement, depositing the dirt at a suitable distance from the curb and at a location convenient to be taken up and emptied into a wagon or other receptacle. After the brush-arm has passed the cam-surface the brush will turn to its normal position. By means of the counterbalanced hollow shaft the latter is allowed a slight vertical play to conform to uneven pavements, and by the provision of a guide-wheel the sweeper may be kept at a suitable distance from the curb.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Let- 5o wheels, a swinging beam pivoted to the truck, l

l. A street-sweeper, comprising in combination with the truck, the shaft and drivingwheels, a swinging beam pivotally mounted on the truck, a rotary sweeper jonrnaled at the end of said beam, and having geared connections with the driving-shaft, a standard on said swinging beam, and counterbalanced pivoted lever mounted on'said standard, and designed to allow the brushes to conform to a pavement, as set forth.

2. A street-sweeper, comprising in combination with the truck, the driving-shaft and a hollow shaft journaled at the end of said beam and having geared connection with the drivin g-shaft for rotating same, plates carried by said shaft, pivotal brush-arms mounted between said plates,a solid shaft passing through said hollow shaft, a stationary cam 'horizontally mounted on the lower end of said solid shaft, integral pins on said brush-arms which contact with the periphery of said cam, and a connterbalanced lever mounted on said swinging beam and having pivotal connection with said solid shaft, as set forth.

3. In a street-sweeper, a truck-driving axle and wheels, a swinging beam pivotally'connected to said truck, a hollow shaft carried at the free swinging end of said beam, asprocketwheel rotating with said hollow shaft and geared connections between the same and the driving-axle, recessed plates mounted upon and rotating with said hollow shaft, a series of brush-arms held between said plates adapted to tilt vertically, a stationary cam-wheel, against which each arm is adapted to contact and be raised'thereby, as it rotates, a shaft mounted within the hollow shaft, and to which inner shaft said cam wheel is secured, a weighted lever fulcrumed on a standard rising from the swinging beam and pivoted to the upper end of said cam-wheel-carrying shaft and guide mechanism for regulating the distance at which it is desired to have the rotary brush held with relation to a curb.

4. In combination with the truck, the driving-axle and wheels, a swinging beam pivoted to the truck,a vertically-rotating shaft mounted on the outer end of the swinging beam, brushes carried by said shaft, geared connections wth the main aXle,for driving said shaft,- a guide-wheel and pivotallink connections between same and the frame, and with the swinging beam, and a coil-spring connected at one end to the truck, and its other end to said beam as shown'and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

"WILLIAM HIGHT.

Witnesses:

W. T. CATHERWooD, JAS. A. PATTERSON. 

